~ ~ ~ *gasps for breath* I am EXTREMELY SORRY for not updating in so long.
I will tell the truth - I had no idea where the story was going from here!!
Kero: You lie!! You SO had the story planned out before you began typing it!!
*flicks Kero into the wall* You go bye-bye now.
Yue: *sighs heavily* PLEASE be nice. -_-'
Nope. Kero's my pet in the Anime family I made up. (Long story - it's basically a joke between my friends and I, where various Anime characters make up our family.) Just like you're my older brother.
Yue: *smirks at Yami no Yosei (my new name!!)* Several CENTURIES older, mind you!! ^_^
HEY!! That's not funny!!
Yue: Just start the chapter already.
Okay!! *turns to readers* Thank you all of my faithful reviewers!! And everyone - PLEASE thank Sunflowerseed!! This reviewer's the one who really got me back on the fic!! And I've got a regular cycle going on stories, so check my profile to find out which story is next to be updated.
Yue: *glares at Yami no Yosei*
*gulps* Um, I don't own CCS or any of its characters; Sairo and Selena are mine, the story idea is mine, so I hope you enjoy!! *^_^* ~ ~ ~ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Sakura breathed heavily as her feet pounded against the pavement. She, Tomoyo, and Yue were running towards the Tsukimine Shrine, Kero flying along with them. Sakura had been in a hurry, so she had changed into a pair of jean shorts and a pink T-shirt. Her Sakura Key bounced against her chest as she ran.
"Sakura, stop running so fast!!" Kero complained as his little wings struggled to keep up with his Mistress's pace.
"Sorry, Kero! We're in a hurry here!" Sakura called back as she turned the corner on her route. =(I have to know what's going on,)= she thought to herself. =(Why Selena took the Cards.)=
"Jeez," Kero complained loudly, but Tomoyo, hearing his plea, scooped him out of the air and tucked him into a pocket of her uniform. "Thanks, kid," he said happily as he snuggled in for the ride.
Yue chuckled as he kept up with Sakura and Tomoyo. As he noticed the entrance to the shrine coming into view, he called out, "We'd better slow down now!"
Sakura and Tomoyo did, but their faces held their puzzled emotions. "Why'd we have to slow down, Yue?" Tomoyo asked. "It's not like anything's going to attack us in there, right?"
Yue didn't answer. He just gazed coldly at the shrine's entrance, as if he was trying to say something without words.
Tomoyo's gray eyes widened in alarm and turned to Sakura. "We'd better be careful then, Sakura," she said cautiously.
Sakura nodded and pulled out her Key as she began to chant: "Key of the Star...with powers burning bright...reveal the staff...and shine your light!! RELEASE!!" (This is probably the English version of how she gets her Star Wand in the Anime. Then again, it's been a while since I've seen it. -_-') Her magic circle appeared around her, and in a flash of light her pink staff appeared in her hand.
"Let's go," Sakura told everyone as she grasped the handle firmly in her hand.
Holding their breaths with anticipation, the group walked slowly into the Tsukimine Shrine, wondering what surprises would be waiting for them in the dark shadows.
* * * * * * *
Selena's head snapped in one direction as she felt a flare of magical energy. As it slowly died down, she smiled and said, "So, she's finally coming."
The same breeze from before began to whirl around her as she got up from her spot against the tree. Selena stood silently as she listened to some hidden message that it seemed to be relaying.
"He's here, too?" the blue-haired girl asked the wind. In response, the moving air went once around her head and once around her ankles.
Selena smiled again as she began to walk towards a nearby building that was part of the shrine. "Good, he can help me explain to Sakura about why I did this," she said thoughtfully. "Tell him to be ready in five minutes. I have to get prepared."
And with that, Selena faded into the shadows of the shrine's alcove.
* * * * * * *
Sakura shivered a little as she and her friends walked through the Tsukimine Shrine. She clutched her staff nervously, thinking about what strange beings could be hidden in the shadows. =(This is a tad too creepy for my tastes,)= Sakura thought.
"Are you all right, Sakura?" Yue asked as he saw his Mistress's body shake with fear.
Sakura just turned to him and shook her head. "I'm all right, Yue," she said. "Just a little nervous with everything that's been going on."
Yue nodded, his pale blue eyes reflecting the light from nearby streetlamps. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right. Besides," he winked as he spoke, "you've got Kero and me looking out for you. So, what is there to worry about?"
Sakura let out a small giggle. "You're right, Yue. What do I have to worry about?" As soon as she said that, she quickly turned away, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. =(Wait, why am I blushing?)= she thought. =(Is it because Yue's being so nice? Or is it because...No! That could never happen...right?)=
"Sakura, look over there!"
Tomoyo's excited voice jolted Sakura from her thoughts. "What is it, Tomoyo?" she asked as she hurried over towards her friend.
The ebony-haired girl just pointed to an entranceway that led to the central park inside the shrine. "I thought I saw something move over there," she explained. "Should we check it out?"
"Your call, kid," Kero said from Tomoyo's pocket, his beady eyes focusing on Sakura's green ones.
Sakura gripped her staff again and nodded. "All right, let's check it out!!" she said in a confident tone. She watched as her companions nodded, too, and began walking into the park.
The Tsukimine Shrine's park looked differently at night than in the day. The trees that overlooked the central pond looked mysterious and foreboding. The only lights that shone in the area were the small candles that hung by the entrance. The candlelight reflected off of the dark waters, adding an eerie touch to the landscape.
Sakura felt herself tense up again at the haunting sight. She felt a gentle hand grip her shoulder, and she relaxed as she recognized it as Yue's. =(He's making sure I'm all right,)= she thought as she watched her Guardian walk towards the pond, his eyes scanning the grounds for any sign of movement. =(Maybe he's changed, after all...)=
She followed him to the pond's edge, while Kero - who had flown out of Tomoyo's pocket - followed Tomoyo some distance away. "See anything, Yue?" the girl asked as she cast her gaze everywhere but at the man next to her.
Yue shook is head, his white hair fluttering and shimmering in the light. "Nothing yet," he replied, "but we should be careful nevertheless."
"Yeah," Kero piped up as he flew back over to Sakura, Tomoyo following his lead. "Besides, if anything bad happens around here, we'll be here to protect you. 'Cause that's what we Guardians do!!"
Sakura smiled. "Thank you, Kero," she said slowly, "but I just want to talk to Selena and ask why she took the Clow Cards. She's still my friend-!"
"Kid," Kero interrupted her with a raise of his paw, "I wouldn't let friendship get in the way here. I mean, she took the Clow Cards - the fifty- two magical spirits that took you so long to find and transform!! She has to have a lot of power to change the Sakura Cards back into the Clow Cards in the first place, so I'd be careful if I were you."
"Kero," Sakura murmured, but she shook her head in argument. "I disagree, Kero. Selena might have just moved here, and she might have taken the Clow Cards, but..." She sighed and took a deep breath as she clutched the staff in her hands again. As she focused her green eyes on Kero again, she said softly:
"I'm sure I'll be all right."
"Ah. So THAT'S the famous invincible spell of yours, Sakura."
Sakura's head snapped around with her friends' as she searched for the source of the silky voice. Her emerald eyes finally spotted a block of stone that was placed next to the pond. A stone statue of a horse pawing the ground was balanced on it...and a figure was leaning against the horse's side.
"Selena," Sakura murmured as she recognized the new girl in her class. Her hairstyle and appearance was the same as always, except for her clothes. Instead, she wore a tight sleeveless blue shirt, which ended right above her stomach. A matching blue skirt that hung low on her hips covered her legs, an elaborate hem of various shades of blue creating the finishing touch on the outfit. A pair of dark blue slippers adorned her feet, and a silver chain with a pointed crystal on it was on a slant on her hips, as well.
"Selena, why are you..." Sakura began to ask, but her words only trailed off. She really didn't know how to continue when her new friend was dressed like a belly dancer from Arabian times.
Yue, deciding to break the silence, addressed Selena sharply. "Why did you take the Clow Cards?" he asked, his voice colder than ever.
Selena smirked. "Now, now," she scolded the Guardian, shaking her finger at him in a taunting manner. "That's no way to talk to your sister, now is it!"
"That's the problem - I don't KNOW if you're my sister!!" Yue said angrily, clenching his fists in aggravation.
Selena frowned. "But I am!!" she said. "There's one other person who knows I'm telling the truth." She snapped her fingers, and a second figure walked out from behind the stone horse.
"It's Sairo!!" Tomoyo exclaimed as the group stared up at the new figure in their midst. Like Selena, his hairstyle and appearance remained the same, except for his outfit. He only wore a fiery-red vest and loose red pants. He wore red sandals on his feet, and a golden necklace with a ruby medallion hung around his neck.
"Well, how can we believe him?" Kero stated as he flew around to get a better look at the boy.
Sairo smiled kindly. "Ah, Cerberus," he said slowly. "It's been too long, really."
"WHAT?!" Kero exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
Sairo just smiled, and suddenly a flash of golden light began to emanate from his forehead. A silver light flashed from Selena's, and when both had died down Sakura took a look at what had appeared. Selena's silvery crescent-moon-and-swirls design had reappeared on her forehead (remember from chapter 5?), and a similar design had appeared on Sairo's. The only differences in his were that the moon was actually a sun, and the whole design was golden, instead of silver.
"What are those?" Tomoyo asked, clearly curious about the two in a way that made Sakura groan.
"We'll explain everything if you'll let us," Selena said exasperated. "Jeez, that's all we've been trying to say."
Sakura lowered her staff. "So you won't hurt us?" Sakura said cautiously.
Sairo laughed. "You've got to be joking!!" he said between chuckles. "We'd never want to hurt you. OR the Clow Cards."
"Then they're okay?" Kero said hastily.
Selena smiled and gestured towards the air. The Clow Cards appeared in the palm of her outstretched hand, apparently unharmed. Selena then got down off of the stone block and walked over to Sakura, where she placed the deck into the girl's hands. "There," she said finally. "You've got the Clow Cards back. NOW can I tell you why I took them in the first place?"
"Y...Yes," Sakura said, sighing in relief that nothing had happened to the Cards.
Sairo sighed and sat down on the block. "Then I'll begin," he said calmly and cleared his throat. "When Clow Reed had created the Clow Cards, Cerberus, and Yue, he had intended to harness the powers that each Card possessed. You see, he had merely sealed away fifty-two Spirits with different yet compatible attributes, so that he would have every single one known to man."
"Yeah?" Kero said lazily, clearly not interested in the story.
Selena frowned but continued the story. "Well, Clow Reed did not succeed. He only managed to seal them away, and even with his powers he could not get the Spirits to tap into the full potential of their powers. Not even Cerberus or Yue could tame them."
Sairo continued, "So Clow Reed created two other beings. One would train the Clow Cards to harness their powers, while the other would guide the Guardians with their own special abilities."
Sakura snapped her fingers as she realized something. "That means," she said excitedly, pointing to Sairo and Selena, "that Clow Reed created YOU TWO!!"
"Precisely."
"If that's true," Yue asked, "then who is who?"
Sairo smirked. "I was to help you and Cerberus with your own powers. Clow Reed placed me under the Sun, like Cerberus. Any Spirits ruled by the Sun also gained extra strength when around me, just like when Cerberus was around." He shrugged. "In the end, though, I only ended up helping Cerberus with his powers. Yue got help from another source."
"So, what does that exactly make you?" Kero asked again, beginning to absorb the story in his mind.
Sairo announced, "I am Sairo, the Caretaker of the Clow Cards and the Guardian Beast of the Seal, ruled by the Sun and any Western magic."
"Any specific elements?"
"Mainly Earth, Fire, and Light, just like the Clow Cards."
"I see," Kero said slowly.
Sakura smiled at her Sun Guardian. "Does that mean you're beginning to accept this story?" she asked happily.
"Maybe, kid," Kero replied. "I want to hear the rest before I make any judgments, though."
"Smart," Selena commented. "Then, I shall tell you my purpose. Clow Reed asked me to train the Clow Cards and help them harness their powers, since they were wild Spirits he had only sealed away. Besides doing just that, I also made the Spirits tap into their full potential - hidden powers within their souls. That made them quite powerful, but that can only happen when the Master of the Clow Cards is able to find it."
"You mean me?" Sakura asked, pointing to herself for further clarification.
Selena nodded and continued. "In exchange for my guidance, the Clow Cards repaid me with their Essences. Basically, a piece of each Spirit is inside my soul. I can tap into any Clow Card's power and use it for my reasons. That also makes me connected to each Clow Card, which is why I took them when I did. I'll explain that later, though."
"Please continue," Yue said.
"Clow Reed placed me under the Moon, which means that any Spirit ruled by the Moon gains extra power when around me, just like with Yue. Since I did train all fifty-two Spirits, though, ANY Clow Card gains extra power around me." She smiled perkily. "Call it a gift. Anyway, I also helped Yue tap into his powers and abilities. Clow Reed called me 'the YOUNGER SISTER of Yue'." She emphasized those last words, aiming them in Yue's direction.
"And your full title?" Tomoyo asked, and Sakura began to suspect her friend was really enjoying this.
"Selena, Friend of the Clow Cards and the Judge, ruled by the Moon and any Eastern magic."
"Well, that doesn't give you a good reason to take the Clow Cards," Sakura pointed out.
"True," Sairo agreed, "but we also forgot one thing."
"What's that?"
"Oniioh." Once the word was spoken, Selena and Sairo shuddered visibly.
"Who's Oniioh?" Kero asked.
Selena laughed. "Oh, he's only the worst rival Clow Reed ever had!!" he explained sarcastically. "Oniioh was a Sorcerer who also wanted to tame the known aspects, but Clow Reed beat him to it. As a result, he summoned up fifty-two demons that rivaled the Clow Cards' powers and started a huge war."
Selena nodded. "There was a lot of chaos. In the end, the demons were sealed away..."
"And?" Yue asked, seeing the girl beginning to drift away from the subject.
Selena gazed at him, then at Sakura. The Mistress of the Cards could see tears beginning to form in one blue eye as Selena spoke, "...and Sairo and I were injured to the point where we were almost deceased. Dead, for those who don't know what that means."
"Oh, God," Sakura whispered as she raised a hand to cover her mouth in shock. Tomoyo looked like she was going to cry, and Kero and Yue were just shocked. (That's a huge range of emotions, isn't it?)
Selena continued, "Thank the Spirits - if they hadn't convinced Clow Reed to seal us away, we wouldn't be here today. He made sure we were sealed away in areas close to the Clow Cards, Cerberus, and Yue. I guess he knew we'd be needed again." She winked and smiled a little.
"Okay, so what's that and this Oniioh person have to do with anything?" Kero asked. "I'm getting hungry here - I haven't had my dumplings yet."
Sairo crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the small bear. "Well, it certainly looks like your appetite hasn't been affected over the centuries," he murmured.
Kero looked over angrily. "What was that?"
Sairo looked away innocently. "Nothing..."
"Selena, could you tell us?" Tomoyo asked, breaking the tension in the air.
Selena nodded. "Well, Oniioh died during the war - I forget who killed him. Anyway, he made a vow to come back stronger than before, when the Master of the Clow Cards had been decided."
Sakura's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "So...he's coming back to Tomoeda?" she said shakily. Yue, seeing her panic, steadied her with an arm.
Selena noticed the movement and raised an eyebrow, but she only answered Sakura's question. "Maybe. One of his many talents included possessing people and mind control. Not one of the most popular, but it was effective all the same. Anyway, when I was unsealed with Sairo, we knew he had to be coming back - that's the only reason the Sealing Spell could be broken. I went to find Yue, and Sairo found a place to hide out in until you came and found us."
Sairo motioned towards the sky as little starts twinkled high above their heads. "I usually read the stars and see what's ahead. Instead, I noticed something peculiar - a small star was beginning to grow larger."
"Sounds normal to me," Tomoyo replied.
Sairo shook his sandy head. "Yeah, but it's not normal when the star is draining another star of its energy to get bigger."
Selena cut in, "Basically, that warned us that someone very powerful was draining another powerful being of his or her magic." Selena's eyes focused on Sakura and bore into the set of emeralds.
Sakura gaped. "Y-You don't mean-!" she gasped.
Selena nodded. "You've lost a lot of energy, Miss Sakura," Selena said matter-of-factly. "It could be Oniioh. It could be one of his little servants. All I know is that if we've been released, that bastard of a Sorcerer and his demons are loose, as well. In order to fight these demons, you're going to need a lot of magic...which is a problem since someone's drained you of most of it."
"I don't understand. I don't feel like anything's wrong," Sakura said, twirling around to show that she was fine.
Selena frowned prettily. "Well, you'd certainly notice if you couldn't use the Clow Cards - I mean, Sakura Cards. Windy told me of your transforming them."
"Windy? You talked to the Windy Card?" Kero said. "Unbelievable..."
"What?!" Selena retorted, shrugging her shoulders. "Windy's one of my best friends. So, sue me! Anyways," she turned back to Sakura, "I took the Sakura Cards and changed them back, so that you wouldn't lose any more magic."
"Well, thank you for your concern," Sakura said in a firm tone, "but I STILL want to defend Tomoeda from these demons. And I need the Sakura Cards to do that."
Sairo said, "You can't change them back into the Sakura Cards, though. You've lost too much magic."
"Well then, how can I defeat these things?" she shrieked. "What am I going to do?"
"SAKURA!!"
The teenage Mistress looked up at Selena. Her eyes were hard and cold for a moment as she waited for Sakura to calm down. Once that had happened, her eyes softened, and she said softly, "Then, change them under another's star. We'll figure out how to change them back after this whole thing's over. Okay?"
Sakura thought for a moment, her eyes fixed on the ground.
"Careful, kid," Kero said warningly. "These guys could be lying to you."
"Cerberus!!" Sairo said angrily. "We've been telling you the truth from the moment you walked in here. We're not going to start lying now."
"Fine."
"Sakura?" Tomoyo asked as she saw her friend look up at Sairo and Selena. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Sakura said firmly, and she looked to Yue for support. The Moon Guardian smiled kindly and nodded, saying, "Whatever you say, Sakura. I'll be there to help you all the way."
"Same here!!" Kero piped up happily as he zoomed around Sakura's head.
Nodding, Sakura turned to Selena. "Whose star could I transform the Clow Cards under? I mean, I have to ask this person if it's all right to use their energy to-!"
"It's all right with them," Selena said, interrupting the girl's thoughts. "I don't think it will be much of a problem."
"Well then? Whose star do you want me to transform the Clow Cards under?"
Selena's blue eyes shimmered from the candlelight as she peered into Sakura's green ones. "You sure you want to know?"
"Yes."
"Very well, then. Your choice. The star to transform the Clow Cards under is...mine." ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
~ ~ ~ There!! That wasn't so hard, now was it?
Yue: *slaps hand to forehead and shakes head* So she really WAS my sister? How humiliating...-_-'
HEY!!
Kero: *fully recovered from smack on wall* I don't like the looks of this. And what's with this Oniioh dude?
AAHH!! Do not say that name in here!! *dives behind beanbag chair* O.O
Kero: *sweatdrops* You've got issues, kid. O.O;
Yue: AND I'm related to her.
Kero: Oh! Where's LadySaturn?
Yue: Off writing her stories. She probably won't be back for a while.
Kero: Ah. *turns to readers* Anyways, while we get Yami no Yosei out from behind the beanbag, would you mind sending in reviews? We've FINALLY got back on track, so updates will be more frequent.
Yue: Thank you very much!! ^_^
*peeks out from behind beanbag chair* O.O
Kero: Heehee...ONIIOH!!
AAAAHHHHHH!!! O.O *ducks behind beanbag again*
Yue: Kero!!
Kero: *snickers* This is fun...
Yue: *groans* R & R please, thank you!! *runs to stop Kero from scaring Yami no Yosei again* ~ ~ ~
Kero: You lie!! You SO had the story planned out before you began typing it!!
*flicks Kero into the wall* You go bye-bye now.
Yue: *sighs heavily* PLEASE be nice. -_-'
Nope. Kero's my pet in the Anime family I made up. (Long story - it's basically a joke between my friends and I, where various Anime characters make up our family.) Just like you're my older brother.
Yue: *smirks at Yami no Yosei (my new name!!)* Several CENTURIES older, mind you!! ^_^
HEY!! That's not funny!!
Yue: Just start the chapter already.
Okay!! *turns to readers* Thank you all of my faithful reviewers!! And everyone - PLEASE thank Sunflowerseed!! This reviewer's the one who really got me back on the fic!! And I've got a regular cycle going on stories, so check my profile to find out which story is next to be updated.
Yue: *glares at Yami no Yosei*
*gulps* Um, I don't own CCS or any of its characters; Sairo and Selena are mine, the story idea is mine, so I hope you enjoy!! *^_^* ~ ~ ~ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Sakura breathed heavily as her feet pounded against the pavement. She, Tomoyo, and Yue were running towards the Tsukimine Shrine, Kero flying along with them. Sakura had been in a hurry, so she had changed into a pair of jean shorts and a pink T-shirt. Her Sakura Key bounced against her chest as she ran.
"Sakura, stop running so fast!!" Kero complained as his little wings struggled to keep up with his Mistress's pace.
"Sorry, Kero! We're in a hurry here!" Sakura called back as she turned the corner on her route. =(I have to know what's going on,)= she thought to herself. =(Why Selena took the Cards.)=
"Jeez," Kero complained loudly, but Tomoyo, hearing his plea, scooped him out of the air and tucked him into a pocket of her uniform. "Thanks, kid," he said happily as he snuggled in for the ride.
Yue chuckled as he kept up with Sakura and Tomoyo. As he noticed the entrance to the shrine coming into view, he called out, "We'd better slow down now!"
Sakura and Tomoyo did, but their faces held their puzzled emotions. "Why'd we have to slow down, Yue?" Tomoyo asked. "It's not like anything's going to attack us in there, right?"
Yue didn't answer. He just gazed coldly at the shrine's entrance, as if he was trying to say something without words.
Tomoyo's gray eyes widened in alarm and turned to Sakura. "We'd better be careful then, Sakura," she said cautiously.
Sakura nodded and pulled out her Key as she began to chant: "Key of the Star...with powers burning bright...reveal the staff...and shine your light!! RELEASE!!" (This is probably the English version of how she gets her Star Wand in the Anime. Then again, it's been a while since I've seen it. -_-') Her magic circle appeared around her, and in a flash of light her pink staff appeared in her hand.
"Let's go," Sakura told everyone as she grasped the handle firmly in her hand.
Holding their breaths with anticipation, the group walked slowly into the Tsukimine Shrine, wondering what surprises would be waiting for them in the dark shadows.
* * * * * * *
Selena's head snapped in one direction as she felt a flare of magical energy. As it slowly died down, she smiled and said, "So, she's finally coming."
The same breeze from before began to whirl around her as she got up from her spot against the tree. Selena stood silently as she listened to some hidden message that it seemed to be relaying.
"He's here, too?" the blue-haired girl asked the wind. In response, the moving air went once around her head and once around her ankles.
Selena smiled again as she began to walk towards a nearby building that was part of the shrine. "Good, he can help me explain to Sakura about why I did this," she said thoughtfully. "Tell him to be ready in five minutes. I have to get prepared."
And with that, Selena faded into the shadows of the shrine's alcove.
* * * * * * *
Sakura shivered a little as she and her friends walked through the Tsukimine Shrine. She clutched her staff nervously, thinking about what strange beings could be hidden in the shadows. =(This is a tad too creepy for my tastes,)= Sakura thought.
"Are you all right, Sakura?" Yue asked as he saw his Mistress's body shake with fear.
Sakura just turned to him and shook her head. "I'm all right, Yue," she said. "Just a little nervous with everything that's been going on."
Yue nodded, his pale blue eyes reflecting the light from nearby streetlamps. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right. Besides," he winked as he spoke, "you've got Kero and me looking out for you. So, what is there to worry about?"
Sakura let out a small giggle. "You're right, Yue. What do I have to worry about?" As soon as she said that, she quickly turned away, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. =(Wait, why am I blushing?)= she thought. =(Is it because Yue's being so nice? Or is it because...No! That could never happen...right?)=
"Sakura, look over there!"
Tomoyo's excited voice jolted Sakura from her thoughts. "What is it, Tomoyo?" she asked as she hurried over towards her friend.
The ebony-haired girl just pointed to an entranceway that led to the central park inside the shrine. "I thought I saw something move over there," she explained. "Should we check it out?"
"Your call, kid," Kero said from Tomoyo's pocket, his beady eyes focusing on Sakura's green ones.
Sakura gripped her staff again and nodded. "All right, let's check it out!!" she said in a confident tone. She watched as her companions nodded, too, and began walking into the park.
The Tsukimine Shrine's park looked differently at night than in the day. The trees that overlooked the central pond looked mysterious and foreboding. The only lights that shone in the area were the small candles that hung by the entrance. The candlelight reflected off of the dark waters, adding an eerie touch to the landscape.
Sakura felt herself tense up again at the haunting sight. She felt a gentle hand grip her shoulder, and she relaxed as she recognized it as Yue's. =(He's making sure I'm all right,)= she thought as she watched her Guardian walk towards the pond, his eyes scanning the grounds for any sign of movement. =(Maybe he's changed, after all...)=
She followed him to the pond's edge, while Kero - who had flown out of Tomoyo's pocket - followed Tomoyo some distance away. "See anything, Yue?" the girl asked as she cast her gaze everywhere but at the man next to her.
Yue shook is head, his white hair fluttering and shimmering in the light. "Nothing yet," he replied, "but we should be careful nevertheless."
"Yeah," Kero piped up as he flew back over to Sakura, Tomoyo following his lead. "Besides, if anything bad happens around here, we'll be here to protect you. 'Cause that's what we Guardians do!!"
Sakura smiled. "Thank you, Kero," she said slowly, "but I just want to talk to Selena and ask why she took the Clow Cards. She's still my friend-!"
"Kid," Kero interrupted her with a raise of his paw, "I wouldn't let friendship get in the way here. I mean, she took the Clow Cards - the fifty- two magical spirits that took you so long to find and transform!! She has to have a lot of power to change the Sakura Cards back into the Clow Cards in the first place, so I'd be careful if I were you."
"Kero," Sakura murmured, but she shook her head in argument. "I disagree, Kero. Selena might have just moved here, and she might have taken the Clow Cards, but..." She sighed and took a deep breath as she clutched the staff in her hands again. As she focused her green eyes on Kero again, she said softly:
"I'm sure I'll be all right."
"Ah. So THAT'S the famous invincible spell of yours, Sakura."
Sakura's head snapped around with her friends' as she searched for the source of the silky voice. Her emerald eyes finally spotted a block of stone that was placed next to the pond. A stone statue of a horse pawing the ground was balanced on it...and a figure was leaning against the horse's side.
"Selena," Sakura murmured as she recognized the new girl in her class. Her hairstyle and appearance was the same as always, except for her clothes. Instead, she wore a tight sleeveless blue shirt, which ended right above her stomach. A matching blue skirt that hung low on her hips covered her legs, an elaborate hem of various shades of blue creating the finishing touch on the outfit. A pair of dark blue slippers adorned her feet, and a silver chain with a pointed crystal on it was on a slant on her hips, as well.
"Selena, why are you..." Sakura began to ask, but her words only trailed off. She really didn't know how to continue when her new friend was dressed like a belly dancer from Arabian times.
Yue, deciding to break the silence, addressed Selena sharply. "Why did you take the Clow Cards?" he asked, his voice colder than ever.
Selena smirked. "Now, now," she scolded the Guardian, shaking her finger at him in a taunting manner. "That's no way to talk to your sister, now is it!"
"That's the problem - I don't KNOW if you're my sister!!" Yue said angrily, clenching his fists in aggravation.
Selena frowned. "But I am!!" she said. "There's one other person who knows I'm telling the truth." She snapped her fingers, and a second figure walked out from behind the stone horse.
"It's Sairo!!" Tomoyo exclaimed as the group stared up at the new figure in their midst. Like Selena, his hairstyle and appearance remained the same, except for his outfit. He only wore a fiery-red vest and loose red pants. He wore red sandals on his feet, and a golden necklace with a ruby medallion hung around his neck.
"Well, how can we believe him?" Kero stated as he flew around to get a better look at the boy.
Sairo smiled kindly. "Ah, Cerberus," he said slowly. "It's been too long, really."
"WHAT?!" Kero exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
Sairo just smiled, and suddenly a flash of golden light began to emanate from his forehead. A silver light flashed from Selena's, and when both had died down Sakura took a look at what had appeared. Selena's silvery crescent-moon-and-swirls design had reappeared on her forehead (remember from chapter 5?), and a similar design had appeared on Sairo's. The only differences in his were that the moon was actually a sun, and the whole design was golden, instead of silver.
"What are those?" Tomoyo asked, clearly curious about the two in a way that made Sakura groan.
"We'll explain everything if you'll let us," Selena said exasperated. "Jeez, that's all we've been trying to say."
Sakura lowered her staff. "So you won't hurt us?" Sakura said cautiously.
Sairo laughed. "You've got to be joking!!" he said between chuckles. "We'd never want to hurt you. OR the Clow Cards."
"Then they're okay?" Kero said hastily.
Selena smiled and gestured towards the air. The Clow Cards appeared in the palm of her outstretched hand, apparently unharmed. Selena then got down off of the stone block and walked over to Sakura, where she placed the deck into the girl's hands. "There," she said finally. "You've got the Clow Cards back. NOW can I tell you why I took them in the first place?"
"Y...Yes," Sakura said, sighing in relief that nothing had happened to the Cards.
Sairo sighed and sat down on the block. "Then I'll begin," he said calmly and cleared his throat. "When Clow Reed had created the Clow Cards, Cerberus, and Yue, he had intended to harness the powers that each Card possessed. You see, he had merely sealed away fifty-two Spirits with different yet compatible attributes, so that he would have every single one known to man."
"Yeah?" Kero said lazily, clearly not interested in the story.
Selena frowned but continued the story. "Well, Clow Reed did not succeed. He only managed to seal them away, and even with his powers he could not get the Spirits to tap into the full potential of their powers. Not even Cerberus or Yue could tame them."
Sairo continued, "So Clow Reed created two other beings. One would train the Clow Cards to harness their powers, while the other would guide the Guardians with their own special abilities."
Sakura snapped her fingers as she realized something. "That means," she said excitedly, pointing to Sairo and Selena, "that Clow Reed created YOU TWO!!"
"Precisely."
"If that's true," Yue asked, "then who is who?"
Sairo smirked. "I was to help you and Cerberus with your own powers. Clow Reed placed me under the Sun, like Cerberus. Any Spirits ruled by the Sun also gained extra strength when around me, just like when Cerberus was around." He shrugged. "In the end, though, I only ended up helping Cerberus with his powers. Yue got help from another source."
"So, what does that exactly make you?" Kero asked again, beginning to absorb the story in his mind.
Sairo announced, "I am Sairo, the Caretaker of the Clow Cards and the Guardian Beast of the Seal, ruled by the Sun and any Western magic."
"Any specific elements?"
"Mainly Earth, Fire, and Light, just like the Clow Cards."
"I see," Kero said slowly.
Sakura smiled at her Sun Guardian. "Does that mean you're beginning to accept this story?" she asked happily.
"Maybe, kid," Kero replied. "I want to hear the rest before I make any judgments, though."
"Smart," Selena commented. "Then, I shall tell you my purpose. Clow Reed asked me to train the Clow Cards and help them harness their powers, since they were wild Spirits he had only sealed away. Besides doing just that, I also made the Spirits tap into their full potential - hidden powers within their souls. That made them quite powerful, but that can only happen when the Master of the Clow Cards is able to find it."
"You mean me?" Sakura asked, pointing to herself for further clarification.
Selena nodded and continued. "In exchange for my guidance, the Clow Cards repaid me with their Essences. Basically, a piece of each Spirit is inside my soul. I can tap into any Clow Card's power and use it for my reasons. That also makes me connected to each Clow Card, which is why I took them when I did. I'll explain that later, though."
"Please continue," Yue said.
"Clow Reed placed me under the Moon, which means that any Spirit ruled by the Moon gains extra power when around me, just like with Yue. Since I did train all fifty-two Spirits, though, ANY Clow Card gains extra power around me." She smiled perkily. "Call it a gift. Anyway, I also helped Yue tap into his powers and abilities. Clow Reed called me 'the YOUNGER SISTER of Yue'." She emphasized those last words, aiming them in Yue's direction.
"And your full title?" Tomoyo asked, and Sakura began to suspect her friend was really enjoying this.
"Selena, Friend of the Clow Cards and the Judge, ruled by the Moon and any Eastern magic."
"Well, that doesn't give you a good reason to take the Clow Cards," Sakura pointed out.
"True," Sairo agreed, "but we also forgot one thing."
"What's that?"
"Oniioh." Once the word was spoken, Selena and Sairo shuddered visibly.
"Who's Oniioh?" Kero asked.
Selena laughed. "Oh, he's only the worst rival Clow Reed ever had!!" he explained sarcastically. "Oniioh was a Sorcerer who also wanted to tame the known aspects, but Clow Reed beat him to it. As a result, he summoned up fifty-two demons that rivaled the Clow Cards' powers and started a huge war."
Selena nodded. "There was a lot of chaos. In the end, the demons were sealed away..."
"And?" Yue asked, seeing the girl beginning to drift away from the subject.
Selena gazed at him, then at Sakura. The Mistress of the Cards could see tears beginning to form in one blue eye as Selena spoke, "...and Sairo and I were injured to the point where we were almost deceased. Dead, for those who don't know what that means."
"Oh, God," Sakura whispered as she raised a hand to cover her mouth in shock. Tomoyo looked like she was going to cry, and Kero and Yue were just shocked. (That's a huge range of emotions, isn't it?)
Selena continued, "Thank the Spirits - if they hadn't convinced Clow Reed to seal us away, we wouldn't be here today. He made sure we were sealed away in areas close to the Clow Cards, Cerberus, and Yue. I guess he knew we'd be needed again." She winked and smiled a little.
"Okay, so what's that and this Oniioh person have to do with anything?" Kero asked. "I'm getting hungry here - I haven't had my dumplings yet."
Sairo crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the small bear. "Well, it certainly looks like your appetite hasn't been affected over the centuries," he murmured.
Kero looked over angrily. "What was that?"
Sairo looked away innocently. "Nothing..."
"Selena, could you tell us?" Tomoyo asked, breaking the tension in the air.
Selena nodded. "Well, Oniioh died during the war - I forget who killed him. Anyway, he made a vow to come back stronger than before, when the Master of the Clow Cards had been decided."
Sakura's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "So...he's coming back to Tomoeda?" she said shakily. Yue, seeing her panic, steadied her with an arm.
Selena noticed the movement and raised an eyebrow, but she only answered Sakura's question. "Maybe. One of his many talents included possessing people and mind control. Not one of the most popular, but it was effective all the same. Anyway, when I was unsealed with Sairo, we knew he had to be coming back - that's the only reason the Sealing Spell could be broken. I went to find Yue, and Sairo found a place to hide out in until you came and found us."
Sairo motioned towards the sky as little starts twinkled high above their heads. "I usually read the stars and see what's ahead. Instead, I noticed something peculiar - a small star was beginning to grow larger."
"Sounds normal to me," Tomoyo replied.
Sairo shook his sandy head. "Yeah, but it's not normal when the star is draining another star of its energy to get bigger."
Selena cut in, "Basically, that warned us that someone very powerful was draining another powerful being of his or her magic." Selena's eyes focused on Sakura and bore into the set of emeralds.
Sakura gaped. "Y-You don't mean-!" she gasped.
Selena nodded. "You've lost a lot of energy, Miss Sakura," Selena said matter-of-factly. "It could be Oniioh. It could be one of his little servants. All I know is that if we've been released, that bastard of a Sorcerer and his demons are loose, as well. In order to fight these demons, you're going to need a lot of magic...which is a problem since someone's drained you of most of it."
"I don't understand. I don't feel like anything's wrong," Sakura said, twirling around to show that she was fine.
Selena frowned prettily. "Well, you'd certainly notice if you couldn't use the Clow Cards - I mean, Sakura Cards. Windy told me of your transforming them."
"Windy? You talked to the Windy Card?" Kero said. "Unbelievable..."
"What?!" Selena retorted, shrugging her shoulders. "Windy's one of my best friends. So, sue me! Anyways," she turned back to Sakura, "I took the Sakura Cards and changed them back, so that you wouldn't lose any more magic."
"Well, thank you for your concern," Sakura said in a firm tone, "but I STILL want to defend Tomoeda from these demons. And I need the Sakura Cards to do that."
Sairo said, "You can't change them back into the Sakura Cards, though. You've lost too much magic."
"Well then, how can I defeat these things?" she shrieked. "What am I going to do?"
"SAKURA!!"
The teenage Mistress looked up at Selena. Her eyes were hard and cold for a moment as she waited for Sakura to calm down. Once that had happened, her eyes softened, and she said softly, "Then, change them under another's star. We'll figure out how to change them back after this whole thing's over. Okay?"
Sakura thought for a moment, her eyes fixed on the ground.
"Careful, kid," Kero said warningly. "These guys could be lying to you."
"Cerberus!!" Sairo said angrily. "We've been telling you the truth from the moment you walked in here. We're not going to start lying now."
"Fine."
"Sakura?" Tomoyo asked as she saw her friend look up at Sairo and Selena. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Sakura said firmly, and she looked to Yue for support. The Moon Guardian smiled kindly and nodded, saying, "Whatever you say, Sakura. I'll be there to help you all the way."
"Same here!!" Kero piped up happily as he zoomed around Sakura's head.
Nodding, Sakura turned to Selena. "Whose star could I transform the Clow Cards under? I mean, I have to ask this person if it's all right to use their energy to-!"
"It's all right with them," Selena said, interrupting the girl's thoughts. "I don't think it will be much of a problem."
"Well then? Whose star do you want me to transform the Clow Cards under?"
Selena's blue eyes shimmered from the candlelight as she peered into Sakura's green ones. "You sure you want to know?"
"Yes."
"Very well, then. Your choice. The star to transform the Clow Cards under is...mine." ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
~ ~ ~ There!! That wasn't so hard, now was it?
Yue: *slaps hand to forehead and shakes head* So she really WAS my sister? How humiliating...-_-'
HEY!!
Kero: *fully recovered from smack on wall* I don't like the looks of this. And what's with this Oniioh dude?
AAHH!! Do not say that name in here!! *dives behind beanbag chair* O.O
Kero: *sweatdrops* You've got issues, kid. O.O;
Yue: AND I'm related to her.
Kero: Oh! Where's LadySaturn?
Yue: Off writing her stories. She probably won't be back for a while.
Kero: Ah. *turns to readers* Anyways, while we get Yami no Yosei out from behind the beanbag, would you mind sending in reviews? We've FINALLY got back on track, so updates will be more frequent.
Yue: Thank you very much!! ^_^
*peeks out from behind beanbag chair* O.O
Kero: Heehee...ONIIOH!!
AAAAHHHHHH!!! O.O *ducks behind beanbag again*
Yue: Kero!!
Kero: *snickers* This is fun...
Yue: *groans* R & R please, thank you!! *runs to stop Kero from scaring Yami no Yosei again* ~ ~ ~